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Why Gowling WLG

Merger Control

UK

With an expanding number of merger control regimes worldwide, and competition authorities ever more active in investigations deals, companies seeking to grow their activities through strategic acquisitions, mergers of joint ventures are increasingly likely to have to address merger control issues, potentially across a number of jurisdictions.

We understand the importance of identifying these merger control issues as early as possible, and ensuring that the route to securing merger clearance is planned, understood, and fully addressed within the overall deal timetable.

Experience

Acting for a major pharmaceutical company on a worldwide joint venture arrangement, and upon numerous acquisitions of competitors.

Advising The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. on the application of various merger control regimes to five separate acquisitions.

Acting for Origin Enterprises plc on five separate acquisitions of competitors active in the agrochemical sector, with each of these acquisitions being cleared at Phase 1 in the UK.

Acting for AstraZeneca on its sale of certain assets to Sanofi, with the transaction cleared at Phase 1 in jurisdictions including Spain and the United States.

Acting for ProStrakan Group plc on its £230 million acquisition of Archimedes Pharma Limited, a competing pharmaceutical company. The deal was cleared at Phase 1 in the UK and in Germany.

Acting for Premier Foods plc on the sale of its canning business to Princes Limited. The deal was initially notified to the European Commission, before being referred to the national competition authority in the UK, where it was cleared at Phase 1.

Publications

The team speak and write regularly on aspects of competition litigation and have contributed to a number of publications, including:

Gowling WLG is an international law firm comprising the members of Gowling WLG International Limited, an English Company Limited by Guarantee, and their respective affiliates. Each member and affiliate is an autonomous and independent entity. Gowling WLG International Limited promotes, facilitates and co-ordinates the activities of its members but does not itself provide services to clients. Our structure is explained in more detail on our Legal Information page.